Yesterday
we jumped into the Gospel of Luke.
At
the start of Jesus' campaign in Galilee.
His
public ministry.
His
work to get his message out.
And
we see that people are struggling with the question:
Who
is this Jesus guy?
He's
already getting a reputation as someone special.
A
group of followers have gathered around him.
The
front-running prophet, John the Baptist, has stepped aside.
Thrown
his support to Jesus.
Telling
his own disciples to follow Jesus instead.
Then
Jesus makes a stop-off in Nazareth, his home town.
The
locals are impressed and amazed at his words and his wisdom.
But
then they say—
Hey,
isn't this just Jesus, son of Joseph the carpenter?
He's
just one of us.
Can
he really be so special, so great?
So
Jesus heads back down to Capernaum.
People
there are amazed at his teaching.
He
teaches so clearly; he doesn't merely cite the laws.
He
speaks as someone who fully understands what's really important in
the law.
Someone
who knows what God thinks.
Someone
with authority.
He
further demonstrates that authority by driving out a demon.
The
people are astonished that he has such power.
They
agree that he really is so special, so great.
And,
of course, we know all the other signs that are soon to come.
The
brilliant teachings, the compassion, the miracles.
The
Passion, Death and Resurrection.
And
yet it seems we must still be struggling with that old question.
Like
those folks in Nazareth and Capernaum.
Who
is this guy—really?
As
Christians, we say as St Peter said:
He
is the Christ, the Son of the Living God.
We
know that, not just through the Gospel,
But
through that speaking of that Spirit that dwells within us.
That
Spirit from God who St Paul describes to the Corinthians.
We
believe, and yet it seems that if we truly, fully, deeply believed—
We'd
be more amazed, more astonished.
More
dedicated to making the continuation of his mission our top priority.
It
seems that we need a periodic reminder, a periodic recharge.
So
it's good to stop and ask ourselves:
Who
is this guy who sent his own Spirit to dwell within us?
Let's
reflect on that.
Let's
be amazed and astonished.
Tuesday, 22nd Week of Ordinary Time
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